


Friends With Legal Benefits

by bespokenboy



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Drama, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-07
Updated: 2014-06-07
Packaged: 2018-02-03 19:01:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,336
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1754719
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bespokenboy/pseuds/bespokenboy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Joonmyun is a promising young lawyer who frequents the EXO Cafe. But when one questionable decision in the form of Kim Jongdae causes Joonmyun to lose his job, the lawyer swallows his pride and finds himself on the other side of the cafe counter.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Friends With Legal Benefits

Perjury is an ugly word. Ugly as the student loans Joonmyun knows he will never be able to pay off now. Ugly as his landlord's face when Joonmyun begs for yet another extension on the rent from October. Ugly as the pink eviction notice taped to his door the next day. Without his job or apartment, all Joonmyun has is his crippling debt and a suitcase full of designer suits. Joonmyun sits on a lonely park bench, looking more like a playboy than a homeless man, and thinks about how his life had gone so wrong.

 

 

Joonmyun is supposed to get married next month. When people ask him if he is only courting the young heiress with the hope of being promoted from associate to senior partner at SM, he just laughs. What his fiancée lacks in inner beauty, she more than compensates for with her outer beauty, as well as her name and status. Joonmyun doesn't mind. Besides, he is far more interested in the potential benefits of marrying the founding partner's granddaughter and sole heir to the law firm. 

Once upon a time Joonmyun would never have dreamt of doing anything so selfish and despicable. But Joonmyun is different now. He is hardened from his lonely struggle through law school and his even lonelier years afterwards fighting for every job and every pay check. Even with a prestigious law degree, there are no guarantees and Joonmyun takes every opportunity he can in order to move ahead. He thinks of the marriage as a small personal sacrifice in comparison to making senior partner and securing a powerful, and more importantly, stable senior position in SM. 

All is going as planned until Joonmyun is assigned to be Kim Jongdae's mentor. Fresh out of high school and enrolled in his first year of university, Jongdae is seeking a law internship "just to see what it's like." On his first day, Jongdae greets Joonmyun with bright, sparkling eyes and a refreshing sense of optimism. When Joonmyun goes home that night, he can't seem to get the boy's infectious, effervescent laughter or those elegantly sculpted cheekbones out of his mind. 

Joonmyun manages to keep his own desires at bay, but he doesn't fail to notice Jongdae's wistful glances when the younger boy thinks his mentor isn't looking. Even his boss, senior partner Lee Soo Man, Jr. (and Joonmyun's future father-in-law), takes note. He commends Joonmyun for being such an effective mentor, impressed by the almost worshipful respect that Jongdae has for him. Score one for Joonmyun, perfect son in law material. 

 

 

Officially, Joonmyun is to report to the firm at nine in the morning and is allowed to leave at five in the evening. Nevertheless, he shows up everyday no later than seven and locks his office no earlier than eleven o'clock at night. Even among the associate partners, the grunt workforce of the firm, this is considered excessive. 

However, Joonmyun usually insists that his young intern leave the firm in the early evening, uncharacteristically considerate of the boy's studies and social life. It's a bit of a pretense. Joonmyun is all too wary of being alone with Jongdae for too long, who is clingier than ever. The boy probably does not understand his own feelings, so Joonmyun fights the temptation to take advantage of Jongdae's desperate need for approval. Nevertheless, Jongdae always bids Joonmyun farewell rather reluctantly every evening, plunging enthusiastically into his tasks the next day. Joonmyun can't help but admire the boy's dedication. 

Given a rare chance to negotiate a major deal, Joonmyun is hard at work on a tricky merger between two rival electric companies with a colorful history of bitter disputes and scandals. A task like this requires finesse and carefully planned maneuvers to prevent either party from backing out at the last minute. It's also an opportunity for Joonmyun to prove his value to the firm. The evening before the final negotiations, however, one of Joonmyun's seniors drops a thick stack of legal briefs on his desk, demanding markups on all of them by the next morning. Jongdae eyes the papers with alarm, but Joonmyun just sighs resignedly. 

"Don't worry about it, they do things like this to all the associates."

"But you've been at the firm for almost two years!"

"It's just the alpha male mentality. Lawyers always feel like they have to assert their dominance somehow."

"Shouldn't the paralegals be handling this kind of stuff?"

"Nah, this is below even them. I'm actually pretty lucky for an associate, though. I've gotten a bit more respect around here since I've scored with SM's precious heiress." 

Jongdae is quiet after that, and Joonmyun checks his watch. "Hey kid, it's almost six o'clock. Don't you want to head out?" Jongdae fidgets in his seat, but makes no move to leave. 

Then he asks hesitantly, "Can I stay?" 

Joonmyun frowns slightly. "What for?" 

More assertively, the boy answers, "Let me help you with the markups."

Joonmyun studies the resolute expression on the intern's face. Finding the look of fierce determination rather endearing, he gives in. Although the lawyer is more than capable of processing the briefs on his own (law school had made him fiendishly efficient), Joonmyun wouldn't mind the boy's company for a few more hours.

He rationalizes the potentially regrettable decision by reminding himself that Jongdae is staying by his own volition. And he probably would not have been able to dissuade the boy anyways. 

"Pull up a chair, kid." 

Jongdae sits next to Joonmyun, their elbows nearly brushing, as the elder explains the procedure. He listens attentively, watching Joonmyun's slender fingers point out sections of a sample brief. Joonmyun glances over at Jongdae and can't help but take pleasure in the sweet curl of the boy's eyelashes and the sharp slope of his cheekbones. 

Jongdae's eyes meet his, and Joonmyun swallows, unintentionally choking on his own saliva. Flushing, he looks back down at the brief, but he swears that the boy is smirking at him. 

"Okay, I think I got it," Jongdae says, rising to return to his own desk in the corner of Joonmyun's office. Joonmyun places a hand on Jongdae's thigh, and this time it's the boy who is taken unaware, heat rising in his cheeks at the contact. He sits back down slowly, holding his breath until Joonmyun withdraws his grip. Slightly shaken, Jongdae plunges into the first brief. 

To Joonmyun's surprise, Jongdae makes swift progress with the markups, flying through several with ease. He takes one out of Jongdae's completed pile to examine. The boy freezes, watching him anxiously with bated breath. When Joonmyun compliments Jongdae on how deftly he maneuvers through the murky legalese, the boy tilts his head with a cocky smile and says, "I've done my homework."

A couple hours have passed, and the pile of briefs is steadily dwindling. 

The sky is dusky purple outside Joonmyun's office window. As predicted, only he and his intern remain at the firm. Joonmyun yawns, "Sure you don't want to head home yet? It's getting late." 

"No, I'm really doing fine, Mr. Kim!" Jongdae insists. 

"Joonmyun, please," Joonmyun offhandedly corrects him. 

Jongdae is taken aback by the informality, gaping cutely in surprise. Joonmyun has never been so casual with his intern before, but he can no longer contain the impulse to push the boundaries a little. Or a lot. 

Joonmyun shrugs off his suit jacket and, with a tinge of satisfaction, catches Jongdae glance at him and look away hurriedly. He loosens his tie and strips it from his neck slowly and deliberately. He can feel the boy staring at him now and smirks as he begins to unfasten the top two buttons of his shirt. Jongdae's eyes quickly snap back to the packet of papers in front of him. 

Although he is being unfair and maybe even a bit manipulative, Joonmyun is enjoying himself too much. Yawning widely, Joonmyun stretches, his shirt riding up to reveal his smooth, toned lower abdomen. He catches Jongdae sneaking another glimpse and asks, "Like what you see?" 

The intern jumps, clearly embarrassed and slightly horrified by his own blatancy. "I'm so sorry Mr. Kim, J-joonmyun, I didn't mean to- I'm not trying to- I think I should leave now," he sputters, suddenly rushing towards the door, trying to duck out of Joonmyun's office. 

Joonmyun catches his arm before the boy can escape. He presses Jongdae against the closed door, placing his hands on either side of his head. The intern gasps, eyes widening momentarily. For a brief moment, Joonmyun hesitates. He can’t quite read the boy’s expression. But the split-second of doubt passes when Jongdae curls his fingers into Joonmyun’s belt loops, pulling him in closer. 

They take turns exploring each other's bodies. Joonmyun's hands encircle the boy's narrow waist, and Jongdae pushes Joonmyun against the wall to drag his hands down the man's torso. They alternate in taking command, but it's not a competition for dominance so much as a game of push and pull. One controls the tempo and intensity of their touches, then yields to the other's will. It gives Joonmyun a thrill, how Jongdae is pliant and submissive in one moment, yet dominant and assertive in the next. 

It is Joonmyun, however, who initiates the kiss. Joonmyun watches with a hungry gaze as the boy bites his lower lip. Jongdae meets the man's eyes, releasing his lip with a sultry smirk, and Joonmyun can’t resist taking the pink swell of Jongdae’s lip between his. Joonmyun kisses him slowly and tentatively at first, but soon Jongdae is reaching out and kissing him back insistently. Attempting to deepen the kiss, Joonmyun licks at the feline corner of Jongdae's lips. The boy pulls away, laughing breathlessly and wiping at the corner of his mouth. 

"You're a gross old man!" he accuses, eyes twinkling.

"I'm not that old," is the lawyer's indignant response. 

"What are you, like thirty?" Jongdae asks teasingly. 

"Twenty-five," Joonmyun answers huskily, "but I don't think you would mind if I was thirty." 

Jongdae rolls his eyes, but grabs Joonmyun by the collar to pull him in close again. He drags his tongue across the soft skin of Joonmyun's neck, from his collarbone to his jaw. Joonmyun shivers, and the boy licks his way into the older man's mouth. The corner of Joonmyun’s lip tilts up in amusement at Jongdae’s assertiveness, but his eyes flutter shut to enjoy the moment.

The phone rings. Jongdae breaks their kiss to ask breathlessly, "Aren't you going to get that?" 

"Let it ring," Joonmyun growls, pulling him back in to pursue the boy's lips once more. 

The phone stops ringing, as the caller is taken to voicemail. "Joonmyun," a woman's voice calls out of the speaker. Recognizing the voice of his fiancée, Joonmyun suddenly remembers that they were supposed to have dinner plans that night. 

"I stopped by your apartment, but you weren't there. I guess you're not picking up your office phone, either. Is everything okay? I think I'll-" 

Unable to deal with his fiancée at that moment, Joonmyun silences her by yanking the cord from his phone. He returns his attention to Jongdae, whose ardent eyes and kitten lips are too much to resist.

 

 

"Joonmyun?"

A woman stands in the doorway of Joonmyun’s office. It’s his fiancée. Joonmyun and Jongdae are still with fear. Her facial expression flickers from surprised to confused, then freezes over into a chilly poker face as she takes in their compromising position. She shoves Jongdae aside and places her hands around Joonmyun's neck. Instinctively, Joonmyun wraps his arms around her waist, and Jongdae looks away. 

"Joonmyun, what are you doing?"

"I-it's not what it looks like," he stutters lamely.

Joonmyun is usually in control of every situation thrown at him, but this is not something he had prepared for. Her eyes trace Joonmyun's face, taking in the fear in his dark almond eyes and the bitten red of his lips. He is at a loss for words. 

"Are you cheating on me? With this boy?" The word is spat out venomously. 

"I-I'm sorry?"

She leans in closer, grasping the soft stretch of skin on Joonmyun's neck. It's an intimate gesture that Joonmyun is familiar with, but this time there is a foreign hostility to her touch. 

"You are humiliating me, Joonmyun. I will end you,” she hisses, her lips brushing Joonmyun’s ear.

Her hands tighten around Joonmyun's throat, but freeze as if she is resisting the urge to suffocate him. 

Joonmyun's now ex-fiancée releases him and turns to leave his office. 

"Don't you ever step back in SM, Kim Joonmyun," she says coolly as she walks out the door. The click of her heels is a sharp staccato that echoes through the silent building. 

She had been unexpectedly calm during the short confrontation, but Joonmyun is terrified by what could be brewing underneath the level, elegant surface. 

“I-I'm so sorry Mr. Kim,” Jongdae tries to stutter out an apology. The boy’s confident, cocky manner is gone, replaced with a fragile vulnerability that reminds Joonmyun of just how young he is. Jongdae looks close to tears, barely able to make eye contact with Joonmyun before fleeing the scene. 

 

 

Joonmyun doesn’t think his life can get any worse until he returns to his apartment only to be chewed out by his landowner for missing the deadline for rent...again. Even with a decent income, Joonmyun still has a behemoth of college and law school fees to pay off, but he also needs to keep up appearances at the firm.

After investing in several designer suits, his salary leaves him with barely enough to cough up the monthly rent and other necessities. It isn’t the first time he’s had to swallow his pride and ask for an extension, but this time his landlord is adamant, no matter how much Joonmyun begs. When he finds an eviction notice taped to his door the next day, Joonmyun can’t help but absurdly suspect that this is somehow of his ex-fiancée’s doing. 

He has three days. Three days to piece together the mess he’s made of his career, three days to re-establish himself before he gets unceremoniously kicked out of his apartment of two years. Although Joonmyun has lost his first real job as a bona fide lawyer and now his apartment, Joonmyun is determined not to lose the one thing that has truly mattered over the past several years of his life: his career. 

SM is undoubtedly the most notorious firm in the city, but there are plenty of other options for Joonmyun. In fact, Joonmyun had been scouted by other firms during his early days at SM. When he delivered his first few cases two years prior, he had received several job offers from competing firms hoping to snag SM’s newest gem. 

He stayed with SM, however, because he knew he would have the opportunity to rise higher in status and influence than he would be able to at any other firm. And after meeting the young heiress at a firm banquet, Joonmyun quickly discovered an easy way to achieve that sort of eminence. But now, he must start all the way back from square one and earn his way through the ranks the hard way.

On the first day of his job hunt, Joonmyun dons his most immaculate suit. The deep navy blue shows off the sleek lines of his perfectly proportioned figure. The bespoke Armani had carved a huge slice out of Joonmyun’s income, but he has always had a weakness for luxury. He gets quite a few appreciative glances as he strides through the glass doors of various firms in the city. 

The night before, Joonmyun had updated his resume, printing out several copies to hand-deliver to potential employers. If there’s anything Joonmyun is proud of in life, it’s his credentials. He graduated a year early from college and completed his law degree within three years. He hadn’t always wanted to be a lawyer, though. Joonmyun took the LSAT on a whim and landed a score high enough for all the top law schools in the nation to beg for his attention. Grinding himself down to the core for every essay and every exam, Joonmyun graduated in record time, at the top of his class, no less. The only thing that worries him is the last section of his resume, “References.” 

With no other choice, Joonmyun lists his previous employer’s phone number as his reference. It’s a dice roll, seeing that his previous employer is his ex-future-father-in-law. The title is a mouthful, but it’s better than thinking of him as the father of the woman determined to screw Joonmyun over. 

Joonmyun can only hope that his credentials speak for him well enough to eschew any further prying into his previous employment. However, that’s as unlikely as favorable reviews from his ex-future-father-in-law, in the case that his potential employers investigate the reason for Joonmyun’s departure from SM. Joonmyun can only pray that the law gods are smiling fondly down upon him. 

The second day, Joonmyun receives appointments for follow-up interviews at four different firms. He shows up to the first interview, wearing a crisp black Versace suit this time and looking dangerously professional. As expected, the interview goes smoothly as the man across the desk goes over Joonmyun’s impressive academic achievements. 

Then the interviewer inevitably asks, “You worked at SM for two years?”

“That is correct.”

“Why did you leave?”

Joonmyun swallows and tries to maintain his composure. “I left for personal reasons.”

The man does not pry any further, but continues. “I contacted the person you listed as a reference.”

He pauses, and Joonmyun squeezes his clasped hands between his knees.

“It’s strange, I only received this fax.”

He presents Joonmyun with a simple-looking document printed on creamy, high quality paper. 

“It just has these names and dates on it. I’m guessing these were previous clients and cases…?”

Joonmyun feels a deep, visceral burn of dread. The tingling spreads to his fingertips as he accepts the document. At first glance, it is a seemingly random list of names and dates, but Joonmyun instantly identifies the pattern. He recognizes every name and every date printed on the sheet, although he has spent the past two years trying to forget them. 

Each item is a case in which Joonmyun had bribed his way through to a deal, shredded or disfigured a vital document, made a phone call to an obscure actor from an underground playhouse to act as a witness, and the list goes on. Joonmyun was in no way the only lawyer guilty of such dubious practices, especially not at SM, where there was zero tolerance of failure. Perjury was certainly not publicly encouraged at SM, but it was an unspoken rule that cases must be won by any means necessary. 

In fact, the evening before Joonmyun’s first case, he received a packet of documents containing incriminating evidence against his client. The envelope it arrived in had the prosecuting attorney’s watermark stamped across it- the documents had been stolen from his rival’s desk. It was a test of sorts, gauging how far the new associate partner would go for the success of the firm. Joonmyun passed with flying colors when he won his first case against a very flustered opponent.

Joonmyun can’t bring himself to be shocked that the firm would now use his previous actions as blackmail. It’s a serious threat disguised as a demure sheet of paper, but the message is clear. Joonmyun has two options. He can either quietly relinquish his law career or lose his license in a very public, messy manner. He chooses the first option, bowing out of the office with the document crumpled in his hand, leaving behind a very confused, slightly alarmed interviewer. 

 

 

Joonmyun's life had been going five hundred miles a minute, but it suddenly comes to a complete stop. After wandering aimlessly around the city, he finds himself at the EXO Cafe, hoping that it will stay open for at least another hour so he can try to get his life together. 

Working at a cut-throat firm like SM, there are few constants in Joonmyun's life. Associates, and even senior partners, are constantly filtering in and out, clawing for a stable position. It's difficult to make friends when everyone wants the same thing and will do anything to get it. But despite his unpredictable lifestyle, Joonmyun still craves constancy. Perhaps that’s why he takes such comfort in returning to the EXO Cafe, which he had frequented since signing onto SM. He fondly regards EXO as a slice of home in the middle of the city, with menu items that remind him of his childhood favorites. The cafe has always had an aura of comfort and familiarity. 

Joonmyun orders an Americano from a tall, blond-haired boy working behind the counter. Sitting alone in a cozy booth, he lets the steam from his mug warm his face as he ponders his options. 

Without any close friends or family, Joonmyun is virtually alone in the city. He has had this solitary self-sufficiency since graduating college over five years ago. But before law school, there was someone with whom he had shared nearly every minute of his time, who had been by his side since childhood and even through college. Someone whom Joonmyun had left behind when he made the impulsive decision to apply to law school. 

In the comfort of his favorite cafe, Joonmyun summons the courage to make a phone call to his best friend for the first time in years. 

"Kris?"

"Who is this?" Joonmyun feels a surge of warmth at the familiar husky voice. 

"...It's me, Joonmyun."

There is a clattering sound on the other end of the phone, followed by Kris's signature yelp. 

"Oh my god, Joonmyun, it's been so long."

"Yeah," Joonmyun agrees. "Five years last May." 

There is a pause. Joonmyun cringes and mentally kicks himself for making things weird, but Kris just chuckles softly. 

"A really long time. How have you been, Joonmyun?"

"I've been better...I'm kind of jobless and homeless at the moment." Joonmyun tries to sound nonchalant, but struggles to keep the quaver out of his voice. 

"Oh man, I'm so sorry. Do you need a place to crash? Let me give you my address." Kris rattles off his street name and apartment number before Joonmyun can respond.

Their friendship has always been this way. Kris always gives so much, and Joonmyun never even has to ask. But Joonmyun cut Kris out of his life without any warning during their last year of college, and they hadn't spoken since. And now, Kris's unwavering, unhesitating loyalty makes Joonmyun feel guilty for the first time in years. 

"You might have to wait a bit though. My work doesn't end for another half hour or so."

"That's fine, I'm actually staying at a cafe right now, and it won't close for another half hour."

"Sounds good, can't wait to see you!"

 

 

Joonmyun knows that he owes his friend an explanation, so he takes a deep breath to mentally prepare himself before buzzing the doorbell. 

Kris opens the door and Joonmyun nearly fails to recognize his old friend. He remembers Kris as a gawky kid with eyes a little too large and limbs a little too long. The Kris he knew had stringy black hair that exposed thick, severe eyebrows. But now his eyebrows are covered by a soft, chocolate brown fringe that brings out the roundness of his eyes and the fullness of his lips. Rather than fierce or intimidating, he actually looks...cute. His eyes are wide brown orbs that blink dumbly at the sight of Joonmyun and then crinkle as he smiles in recognition. 

"Wow...you're really..." 

Joonmyun waits for his friend to find the right words. "Yes?"

"...blond."

Kris reaches down to ruffle Joonmyun's hair, who pushes past the taller man into his apartment. 

"Indeed. And you're still too tall for your own good."

He hears Kris's low chuckle and is relieved at how easily they fall into their old banter. It might not be so difficult to mend their friendship after all. 

"I just want to say something," Joonmyun begins nervously. "I'm really...sorry...for everything. I know I haven't been a very good friend for the past few years." Joonmyun has never been good at talking about his emotions, or even thinking about them for that matter, so he has to blink the tingly, prickly feeling away before he can continue. 

"Thank you so much...for taking me in. We've ignored each other for so long now and it's all my fault since I've never stopped to think about anyone but myself...I've done some awful things these past couple years and I've been really selfish and I'm just so...sorry..." He exhales with the last of his confidence falling at his feet. 

"Hey, hey," Kris soothes him. "No need to apologize. I'm always going to be here for you. You should know that." 

This time, Joonmyun can't prevent the tears from escaping because Kris is such a good friend and Joonmyun has done nothing to deserve that kind of kindness. 

Kris takes him in his arms, brushing Joonmyun's tears away with the soft pads of his thumbs. Kris exudes an aura of warmth and comfort, and Joonmyun can't help but lean into his friend's touch. He stiffens though, when he remembers one of the reasons why he had abandoned his best friend in the first place. 

When they were kids, and then teenagers and adults, Joonmyun and Kris had been inseparable. They had once dreamed of making it big together in the city. Their dream was vague and ever-changing, but it had always included the two of them together. 

Joonmyun had a sudden change of heart just before graduating college. While Kris was applying to business schools, as they had originally planned to do together, Joonmyun was quietly preparing for law school. He didn't tell Kris about it in case he couldn't make it, so Joonmyun's announcement came as a complete shock to Kris. 

They didn't speak much after that. Joonmyun was too busy and exhausted from law school to keep in touch. Kris understood and didn't try to push for contact. It was clear that their paths had split. Kris had always been consistent, loyal, and humble in his ambitions. Joonmyun had always wanted too much. 

Kris thought that it was their divergent interests and ambitions that pulled Joonmyun away from him. For Joonmyun, however, there was another factor at play. Even though the two friends had spent half their lives together, Joonmyun began to realize with growing fear that they would never be truly "together." 

His feelings for Kris had always been a soft fondness in the periphery of his heart. But when girls started showing up at their dorm room, Joonmyun's love for Kris was pressed deeper into his heart until it became a bruise. Joonmyun knew that he wouldn't be able to bear watching Kris being slowly torn away from him, so he cut himself away from Kris's life, leaving a Joonmyun-shaped hole behind. 

But now, nestled safely in Kris's strong arms, Joonmyun finds that the warmth and comfort outweigh any fears or insecurities he might have had. 

"There's so much I have to tell you," Joonmyun laughs weakly. 

"It can wait for after dinner."

Joonmyun watches while Kris expertly navigates his tiny kitchen. The taller man hums while tossing handfuls of greens into the pan, which give a satisfying sizzle as they hit the iron. It feels like a dream, some kind of domestic fantasy, watching Kris wear an apron and hold a spatula in his hand.

"This tastes really great, Kris!"

"You sound surprised," Kris laughs in response. 

"I didn't know you could cook..."

"I learned from the best. My ex-girlfriend owns a restaurant. Ever heard of D.O. Bistro?"

"Yeah, wow, that's really...impressive. You must have been a lucky guy," Joonmyun manages to choke out. 

"I suppose. We had some mutual interests, but she wasn't really my type. I was more interested in her brother." He smirks and Joonmyun makes a soft, strangled noise in the back of his throat. 

"Anyways, have you been seeing anyone, Joonmyun?"

"I was for awhile. Ever heard of SM?"

"The law firm?"

Joonmyun explains how he had been working at SM for the past couple years and had gotten into a whirlwind of a relationship with the heiress. 

Kris whistles in amazement. "And you were supposed to get married next month?" 

"Yeah, but we broke it off a few days ago. She thought that I had...wronged her." He is careful to omit mentioning Jongdae. 

"So I'm guessing that you losing your job wasn't just a coincidence?"

"For all I know, she might have cost me my apartment, too," Joonmyun jokes weakly. 

"I'm so sorry, what an awfully spiteful thing to do. Just so you know, you can stay with me for as long as you need to."

Joonmyun feels another surge of gratefulness for his friend. "There's something you should know, though." He swallows nervously. 

"What's the matter?"

"I can't return to practicing law."

"Why not?"

"I'll get convicted of perjury if I do... SM has evidence against me..."

"But- how? You didn't do anything wrong... Did you?" Kris's forehead knits in confusion. 

Joonmyun is silent, unable to meet his friend's eyes. 

"Oh my god," Kris breathes, his eyes searching Joonmyun's. He is quiet for a moment and then starts, "Listen, if you don't want to tell me anything, I won't judge you, really. I know you have your reasons-"

"No, it's okay. I think you should know the truth.” Joonmyun takes a deep breath and begins.

"The first time was a test. They do it to every new partner, just to see how far we're willing to go for the success of the company. It was my first case, really low-stakes, relatively speaking. I could have won it without...cheating...but it was more about the message than anything else. They had everything set up for me. I just had to make the decision and prove to them that they could trust me.

"Here's the thing about SM. They earn their reputation by having a flawless record. And they achieve that kind of perfection by having a zero tolerance policy for mistakes. As soon as you lose a case, your contract is terminated. Not long after the first, I was assigned a case that was basically impossible. A lost cause. All the evidence was stacked up against my client, but he had the capital to consult SM. So I had to get rid of that evidence or risk losing...everything. The cases didn’t get any easier after that. And case after case, I just became kind of numb to it all."

Perhaps this numbness was what caused Joonmyun to be so reckless with Jongdae. That, and a general lack of interest in his fiancée. With a career built upon cheating and lying, the line between right and wrong had grown more and more indistinct. 

"You must think I'm an awful person, doing all this stuff for my career-"

Kris, who was speechless during Joonmyun's explanation, interrupts him. "Of course not. I know you, Joonmyun. I know you're a good person. You just did what you thought you had to do."

Joonmyun's heart swells again. Kris is always so kind, so generous, so forgiving. 

"So...what is your plan now?" Kris asks carefully. 

"I'll go out tomorrow, see if I can find a temporary job until I can get something more stable."

"Do you want to come to work with me tomorrow? I'm sure we can find something for you-"

"No, no, it's fine. You've already done too much for me." Joonmyun doesn't know where Kris works or what he does, but he doesn't want Kris to go out of his way just for Joonmyun's sake.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm positive. I already have a place in mind."

Joonmyun sleeps on Kris's sofa. It's night of fitful tossing and turning, but mostly because his mind is racing with thoughts of Kris. When he wakes up late the next morning, he finds a cheery note stuck to the fridge. 

Sorry, I had to go to work, but there is cereal in the pantry!

After breakfast and a shower, Joonmyun finds something a little more casual than what he had worn on his last job hunt. 

He returns to the EXO cafe. The same fair-haired boy who had served Joonmyun the day before is behind the counter again. Joonmyun's eyes slide to his name tag. 

"Excuse me, Huang Zitao?"

The boy's head snaps up. 

"How can I help you?" he asks in a soft tone. 

"I was wondering, do you know if the cafe is hiring?"

Zitao bites his lip and frowns slightly. "The owner hasn't mentioned needing any new employees."

"May I speak to the owner?"

Zitao hesitates before answering. "He doesn't really like to be bothered..."

"It won't take long, I promise."

Joonmyun smiles brightly, showing all his teeth. The flash of too many teeth probably just scares the boy into conceding, but Joonmyun likes to believe in his own charms. 

He follows Zitao to the owner's office. The boy knocks on the door. "It's me, Zitao. Someone wants to talk to you."

"Come in," a voice from inside calls out in reply. 

Zitao opens the door, and for a moment Joonmyun just stands in the doorway in shock. Hunched over the desk, scribbling notes and punching numbers into a calculator, is Kris. He looks up, sees Joonmyun, and immediately breaks into a wide grin.

"So you rethought my job offer, huh?"

Joonmyun is speechless. "What are you doing here?"

Kris laughs. "This is my cafe."

Zitao glances between them. "You two know each other?"

"Meet Joonmyun, my best friend of...how many years? Anyways, he's living with me at the moment and I guess working for me now, too!"

Kris seems thrilled at the prospect. Joonmyun is still trying to figure out how he could have been coming to his best friend's cafe for two years without ever realizing it. 

 

 

Joonmyun is in their shared bathroom the next morning, working on the final few steps of his daily routine when Kris pokes his head through the open door. "Hey Joonmyun, I'm leaving in a few minutes so could you please hurry up with- are you putting on makeup?"

Joonmyun turns around to frown at his friend. "It's bb cream, Kris." 

"Which is makeup, right?" 

Joonmyun tries to suppress an eye roll. "Bb cream isn't makeup. Bb cream is a fact of life." He continues to dab the thick, fragrant cosmetic across his forehead, and Kris is still standing behind him, snickering.

Joonmyun whirls around and demands, "Do you have a problem?" 

"Nothing, I just," Kris laughs, "I can't believe you're putting on makeup." 

Beyond irritated at the grown man's immaturity, Joonmyun smears a thick dab across Kris's face, who yelps and shoves Joonmyun out of the way to assess the damage in the mirror. He tries to blend the bb cream into his skin but it smooths out into a noticeably different patch of skin across the expanse of his face. He pouts childishly at the ineffectiveness. 

"What's the big deal, Kris?" Joonmyun taunts. "You just have to wash your face again." He cocks an eyebrow at Kris's groan, but then is struck with a sudden realization.

"Those cleansers and moisturizers under the sink were yours!" Joonmyun exclaims. He smiles smugly at Kris's sheepish nod and gently chides, "If you're following a twenty step beauty regime, you have no right to tease me about using bb cream."

"Sixteen step. Skin care regime. Which I have to start all over again now," is the sullen response.

Joonmyun just sighs and dispenses more bb cream onto his fingertips to dab it across Kris's other cheek, his forehead, chin, and nose. "This is easier," Joonmyun assures him. He expertly blends the product with light, feathery strokes across Kris's skin. 

Kris closes his eyes and inhales its comforting fragrance. Joonmyun's bb cream is slightly pale for Kris's warm complexion, but it gives his skin a radiant glow and a velvety soft finish. Joonmyun's hands cradle the taller man's face, his thumbs lingering on his cheekbones. He hesitantly brushes the sharp cheekbones with his thumbs, and Kris's eyes flutter open, dark and smoldering. Joonmyun quickly withdraws his hands.

On the way to the cafe, which is a short walk away, neither mention the bb cream incident. Kris breaks the awkward silence that hangs between them. "We don't really have any full time positions open right now, but maybe you could help Zitao at the front counter or Kyungsoo in the kitchen?" Joonmyun is curious about the shy, fair-haired boy who seems to have a puppy-like adoration for Kris and decides to try working the cash register.

The day is fairly uneventful, mundane even, besides the rush for coffee and pastries in the morning and the steady stream of customers around lunchtime. Zitao is a sweet young man, pleasant company despite his fierce-looking facial structure. He has a girlish, tinkling laugh that quickly turns into hysterical shrieks when he finds something particularly amusing. His cute bow-shaped lips almost remind Joonmyun of Kim Jongdae and the sweetly tilted corners of the mouth Joonmyun had once tasted.

It's almost evening and Joonmyun hasn't seen Kris once since he retreated into his office earlier that morning. 

"Is he always such a hermit?" Joonmyun asks Zitao. 

"Mr. Wu works very hard."

"Doesn't he ever check up on you, see how you're doing?"

"He used to, when I first started working here. He doesn't anymore now. He- he knows I can handle things fine on my own."

Joonmyun nods absently, but Zitao continues, "I do miss talking to him though, once in awhile. Some days I don't even see him at all, he gets here so early and leaves so late." Zitao sighs rather wistfully, and Joonmyun feels a twinge of sympathy for the boy.

After the last customer has left, Zitao takes off his apron and hangs it on the wall. The boy looks like he's about to say something, making Joonmyun pause before following suit. 

"What's it like," Zitao asks shyly, "living with Mr. Wu?" Joonmyun realizes that his best friend must be a complete enigma to the boy. 

"I've known Kris for years, almost my entire life," Joonmyun begins slowly, "and even though I haven't seen him in a few years, I can assure you that he's still a big, dumb dork."

With ever-perfect timing, Kris sidles up to the counter and demands, "Excuse me, but what did you call me?" 

“Go away, Kris,” Joonmyun laughs. Kris grins, wide and gummy, and curls a large hand around Joonmyun’s shoulder.

“Has Joonmyun been playing nice, Zitao?” Kris asks.

“Yes! Of course,” Zitao says, nodding quickly. Neither of the older men notice Zitao glancing anxiously towards Kris’s hand.

“Perfect. Thank you, Zitao. You have been wonderful as always.”

Zitao beams brightly in return, but the corner of his mouth drops ever so slightly when Kris steers Joonmyun away with one large hand on the small of his back. 

 

 

"Can you help out Kyungsoo in the kitchen today? Our other kitchen hand called off." 

Joonmyun agrees rather hesitantly, and Kris introduces him to the chef, Do Kyungsoo. Joonmyun almost bursts out laughing when he finally figures out what Kris had meant when he said that he was more interested in his ex-girlfriend's brother. Apparently their relationship had ended around the same time Kyungsoo left D.O. Bistro to work at the EXO Cafe. 

Despite the chef's diminutive stature, Joonmyun finds Kyungsoo highly intimidating. He glares at Joonmyun in greeting with large, dark eyes that bore deep into Joonmyun's soul. His expression softens, however, into a sweet, heart-shaped smile when Jongin, the dishwasher, arrives.

Jongin seems to have a therapeutic effect on Kyungsoo, which is especially apparent around noon when EXO is at its busiest and Kyungsoo is at his most high-strung. Jongin massages Kyungsoo's shoulders while he is whipping mixtures in bowls with a demonic fury. 

"Shouldn't you be washing dishes or something?" Kyungsoo snaps, but Jongin just grins, answering, "You are more important." Joonmyun notes with interest that Kyungsoo visibly relaxes with the boy's sweet words and gentle touches.

When Kris stops by the kitchen for Joonmyun that evening, they are preparing batter and dough to make fresh pastries the next morning. Kris leans on the table where Joonmyun is rolling slabs of dough into crescent shapes with careful concentration. 

"You would make a good wife, Joonmyun," he teases. "You look good in an apron and with flour on your face." 

Joonmyun narrows his eyes wordlessly and then stealthily reaches for a bowl of chocolate sauce to smear a dollop across Kris's forehead. The now-chocolatey man's eyes widen in surprise, and Kyungsoo wails, "My ganâche!" 

Kris avenges the attack by throwing a handful of flour at Joonmyun. As far as Joonmyun is concerned, Kris has just declared war.

Grabbing a bowl of muffin batter, Joonmyun slides away from Kris and then flicks spoonfuls of the sweet mixture at Kris. The taller man takes a more direct approach, opting to smear handfuls of batter all over Joonmyun's face and exposed skin. 

Joonmyun tries to flee from Kris, who chases after him but clumsily stumbles over his own long limbs, bringing Joonmyun down with him. They tussle on the floor, knocking over containers of sugar, flour, and other confectionary ingredients until Joonmyun has Kris in a headlock.

"Okay, I surrender!" the taller man sputters. Joonmyun laughs and lets him go. 

Meanwhile, Kyungsoo is observing the catastrophe with horror. 

"My...kitchen...ruined..." he mumbles weakly. The chef seems close to tears. 

"Um, Jongin, can you take Kyungsoo home? I think he might be in shock," Kris suggests. Jongin happily obliges, gently ushering Kyungsoo out of the kitchen.

"Well, it looks like we've got our work cut out for us," Kris sighs resignedly.

"You started it."

"Don't even go there."

They bicker like children as they clean the horribly messy kitchen. Flour and sugar and sticky batter seem to cover every inch of every surface, but their playful banter helps the difficult task go by more quickly.

When they get home, both men are exhausted, but Kris, being the ever-gracious host, defers the first shower to Joonmyun.

The warm stream of water is soothing against Joonmyun's skin, which is sticky and gritty with sugar, chocolate and sweat. He closes his eyes as he rinses Kris's shampoo out of his hair and is too blissed out to realize that Kris has slipped into the bathroom. He doesn't notice until the shower curtain is parted, letting a draft of cool air into the stall. Upon seeing his friend undressed and climbing into the shower, Joonmyun shrieks and nearly slips. Kris grabs him before he hits the porcelain. 

"I swear, you're like an old man, slipping in the shower," Kris chuckles.

"Wh-what are you doing?" Joonmyun gasps.

"I was too tired to wait and I didn't want to go to bed all gross and sticky."

Joonmyun is frozen, but he blushes when he realizes that Kris is still holding onto him. He steps away to continue rinsing out his hair, and Kris reluctantly lets go of him.

Minutes tick by as Kris takes his turn rinsing the flour out of his hair, but not a word has passed between them. Kris notices Joonmyun eyeing him anxiously and frowns. 

"What's the matter, Joonmyun?" Joonmyun swallows nervously and decides that if he was going to come out to his best friend, he should do it now. Granted, standing naked together in a small, enclosed space isn't an ideal situation. Joonmyun just doesn't want Kris to wonder about this moment in the future. He doesn't know what Kris's reaction will be, if he'll be disgusted and ask Joonmyun to leave, but Joonmyun realizes that he doesn't care. Joonmyun decides it's only fair to be honest since he had been so careless with their friendship once before.

"Kris, I'm gay."

Kris wipes the water from his face and looks at Joonmyun, who can't bring himself to meet his gaze. "Okay," Kris responds simply. A moment passes, and Joonmyun looks up to see Kris massaging shampoo into his scalp. His back is turned to Joonmyun, so he can't read his expression. 

"D-does that make you uncomfortable?" Joonmyun asks hesitatingly. 

Kris turns around to frown at him again. "No, why would it?" 

Joonmyun gestures between them. "I mean, we're taking a shower...And we're both naked," he points out lamely.

"Joonmyun, I'm gay, too."

"Oh."

"Can you hand me the soap?"

They towel their skin dry and realize they forgot to bring their pajamas. "Looks like we'll have to make a dash for it," Kris laughs. He opens the door and the sudden cool air makes Joonmyun's skin prickle with goosebumps. He heads towards the closet for his pajamas, but Kris tugs him towards the bed instead. Their towels are tossed onto the carpet and Kris pulls them both under the covers.

Joonmyun begins to protest, but Kris silences him. "Whatever you're going to say, sleep is more important." Kris is half a blink away from falling asleep, but Joonmyun is wide awake, hyper-aware of every brush of their bare skin. He can't bring himself to get out of bed though. Kris's comforter is so warm and Joonmyun had always longed for this kind of intimacy with Kris. The taller man's breathing slows, but Joonmyun can't will his heartbeat to calm.

 

 

After a long week, the cafe is closed on Sunday. Kris had promised Joonmyun that they would go for a bike ride and pick up a game of basketball, activities reminiscent of their childhood years. But the rain outside keeps them stuck inside Kris's apartment. They sit on the cozy old sofa, watching the skies outside.

"It's raining, Kris."

"I know."

"...Do you want me to close the window?"

"Only if the rain starts blowing in."

“...Okay…”

"I think the rain is beautiful," Kris says defensively.

Joonmyun lifts a single eyebrow judgmentally at his friend. "I think you're still really weird, man."

Kris scoffs, but the two men sit in a comfortable silence, watching the gray drizzle and the gathering storm in the distance. Joonmyun stretches lazily and adjusts his position so that his head is resting on one arm of the sofa. His feet end up in Kris's lap.

Joonmyun glances over at Kris when the taller man breaks the silence. "Do you want to know why I prefer rainy days to sunny ones?" Joonmyun hums in polite interest, and Kris continues.

"It's because sunny days are all the same. You can't tell one sunny day apart from the next. Every rainy day, though, is different."

Smiling at his friend's poetic waxing, Joonmyun teases gently, "You've become quite the intellectual, haven't you?"

Kris shrugs in response. "I like to think of myself as an artist."

Joonmyun bursts out laughing. "You're kidding, right?"

Kris makes a face of mock hurt and tickles Joonmyun's feet in revenge. Joonmyun is jolted out of his sedentary position and pounces on the taller man. They end up on the floor, tussling like a pair of overgrown toddlers.

Panting heavily, they flop back on the couch.

"We're really not kids anymore," Joonmyun gasps. Kris nods in agreement. "We could still use a nap time, though," he says, and pulls Joonmyun to his chest. Too tired to protest, Joonmyun lets Kris's arms curl around him. He is lulled to sleep by the taller man's steady breathing and the pitter-patter of the rain outside.

The weeks pass by comfortably, blending together indistinguishably like sunny days.

Joonmyun's first kiss with Kris is like another sunny day, warm and familiar. It doesn't feel like he is pushing the boundaries of their friendship when he presses his lips to Kris's. There is no longer that fear of rejection or sense of doubt. There is no heated, burning passion, either, but the soft radiance of mutual comfort and acceptance is enough to satisfy Joonmyun. 

Maybe it's because they've both been a little too lonely for a little too long. It's a nebulous territory that their friendship is heading towards, neither of them willing to explicitly define their relationship. But Joonmyun is almost sure that Kris has been craving the gentle kisses and caresses as much as he has. There's a safe, comforting sort of acceptance between them, which Joonmyun realizes is what he truly wants. He's not in love with his best friend, not really, but he enjoys the gentle, physical affection they share with each other now. It's like Joonmyun is living out his high school fantasies of waking up with Kris's tall frame curled around his.

It makes Joonmyun feel safe and accepted, being able to reach out for his best friend's hand as they are walking to the cafe in the mornings and back home to their apartment in the evenings. The possessive side of Joonmyun gets an even greater thrill when Kris helps Joonmyun tie his apron and plants a gentle peck on his cheek. 

But once again, Joonmyun is a little too self-absorbed and Kris is a little too oblivious to notice the forlorn glances of the Chinese boy behind the cash register. Neither of them are aware of how Zitao's smile falters when he sees the friends enter the cafe together in the morning or how his shoulders slump ever so slightly at the sight of their affectionate skinship. 

Thus, it comes as a shock to both Joonmyun and Kris when Zitao returns his name badge to Kris, half-heartedly explaining that he had to focus more on his schoolwork so that he could graduate with a decent ranking. Zitao thanks Kris for being kind and patient with him, and bows out of his office with a fragile smile. Joonmyun, who did not hear the exchange in the office, is taken aback by the dejected expression on Zitao's face. 

"Goodbye, Joonmyun," he mumbles weakly.

"What's the matter, Zitao? What happened?"

"I-I quit, Joonmyun. I can't handle a full-time job while still trying to keep up my grades."

"Oh. I'm sorry. I will miss you, Zitao! And Kris will miss you, too!"

Zitao turns to Joonmyun with a look of despair that breaks his heart. "He won't miss me," Zitao says softly, "because he has you." 

The cafe door tinkles as the boy fades into the darkness outside. Joonmyun suddenly realizes that Zitao's adoration of Kris was not simply hero worship, but rather genuine, vulnerable feelings.

Zitao is replaced by Sehun, a gangly college student with a sullen, perpetual poker face. He is all charms when customers arrive, though, and smiles especially sweetly when female customers approach the counter. Joonmyun observes the development of a new demographic of regular customers- young, and sometimes older, women who insist on ordering from the boy. Joonmyun regales this with amusement to Kris, who shrugs and says, "Have you seen him smile? He's like a happy little baby with the body of a noodle, how could anyone resist."

The EXO cafe is more popular than ever, especially with the addition of Chanyeol, the brilliant but klutzy pastry chef who dropped an entire rack of bear claws on his first day. Thankfully, Kyungsoo was able to abstain from situational homicide long enough for Chanyeol's chocolate chip muffins to land a feature in the city newspaper. Now Kyungsoo's fingers twitch only a minimal amount when there is another close call.

Because of EXO's steadily growing popularity, there are rare, but awkward occasions in which Joonmyun encounters reminders of his previous life at the firm. 

A group several men in tailored suits enter the cafe. Joonmyun recognizes all of them as lawyers from SM, his former colleagues, but none of the men display any sign of recognition. None of them except for Baekhyun, who acknowledges Joonmyun with a look of sympathy and a generous tip in the jar next to the cash register. Joonmyun returns the gesture with a tight smile.

Baekhyun returns to the cafe by himself with increasing frequency. Against Joonmyun's better judgment, their small talk across the counter develops into a friendship of sorts. It's easy when Baekhyun is so willing to joke about mutual acquaintances. Joonmyun is surprised by just how much scathing wit can be contained within a person with such a small surface area. Baekhyun never pries into Joonmyun's personal life or asks why he left the firm, for which Joonmyun is quietly grateful. 

"There's someone who's been looking for you," Baekhyun brings up out of the blue. 

Joonmyun tries to sound disinterested. It could be anyone. "Oh?"

"Yeah, he's been poking around the firm for the past couple weeks trying to gain your whereabouts."

He raises his eyebrow for Baekhyun to continue. 

"He actually cornered me on the subway the other day, asking me if I knew where you could be found."

"Which you completely denied, right?"

Baekhyun answers with a sheepish grin, "He offered me a hot pack..."

"You sold me out for a hot pack?"

"Please," Baekhyun scoffs. "You make it sound like you're in a witness protection program or something. He was cute, and my fingers were cold."

Joonmyun eyes the other lawyer warily. "Who was the guy anyways?"

"Hmm. He was pretty young, on the shorter side...I think he said his name was Chen?"

Joonmyun shakily releases the breath he didn't realize he had been holding. Chen, he thinks, maybe not then. 

"Anyways, I just dropped in today to warn you in case he decides to stop by."

The bell above the entrance tinkles, and Baekhyun turns his head towards the door. 

"Hey!" he greets the newcomer. "We were just talking about you, Chen. Your timing is really...wow."

Seeing Joonmyun's open-mouthed astonishment at the apparently familiar face, Baekhyun excuses himself with a wink. "I'll just leave you two alone then..."

Without prelude, Joonmyun asks incredulously, "You came to find me?"

"Of course," the boy answers happily. "I couldn't just let you go like that, could I?"

The words are said in a light, facetious manner, but Joonmyun can't help the deep, dull pleasure burning in his face and limbs.

"My break isn't for another hour..."

"I can wait!"

Sehun, who had been apathetically watching the entire scene, waves his hand dismissively. "Just go have your lovey-dovey reunion, I can cover for you. The customers like me better anyways."

Once they are seated cozily at a table, Joonmyun cocks an eyebrow and asks, "So you're Chen, huh? What's with the alias, are you a private investigator now?" 

Jongdae blurts out, "I got an internship at a radio broadcasting company. For journalism." 

Joonmyun chuckles, and Jongdae juts his chin out defiantly. "Got a problem?" 

"Nothing... You just remind me of someone... Of myself." 

Jongdae laughs. It's the same bright, shimmering sound that Joonmyun found so entrancing when they had first met. 

"I'd like to think I'm not as self-centered as you," Jongdae delivers without a hint of malice.

Joonmyun flicks the boy's forehead, eliciting an indignant squawk. "Hush, I'm trying to compliment you." 

Jongdae rolls his eyes but doesn't interrupt. 

"You're ambitious, kid," Joonmyun continues, "You want things. I...respect that." 

The boy grins cheekily and Joonmyun thinks he needs to stop before he inflates Jongdae's ego too much. "I was the exact same way when I was your age..." 

Jongdae groans, "Just because you dress like a grandpa doesn't mean you have to talk like one too." 

Joonmyun sniffs in fake indignation and straightens his cable knit sweater. "Have some respect for your senior." He thinks he hears Jongdae mutter "senior citizen" under his breath, but he chooses to ignore it.

They sit in comfortable silence, sipping their coffees. Soft afternoon light filters through the windows, illuminating specks of dust suspended in the air. Joonmyun watches the lazy descent of the particles, taking note to dust and vacuum the cafe before closing shop that evening. His eyes fall on Jongdae, who is watching him intently. 

"We're not that far apart. In age, you know," Jongdae says haltingly. His usual cocky demeanor has softened and the vulnerability makes him seem younger, more like the teenager that he is. Although he is only a few years younger, Jongdae is less hardened, more hopeful. Joonmyun tries to be gentle, taking his hand.

"I know. But that's not the biggest issue here. You have your future. I lost mine. You have the freedom to choose any path, but I've lost my way. What can a lawyer do without a law degree?" 

There is a fiery determination in Jongdae's eyes that catches Joonmyun by surprise. "It's not over for you. I'm working on a radio series. Exposing corrupt businesses and networks in the city." 

Joonmyun tries to keep the sarcasm out of his voice when he replies, "How very noble of you." 

Jongdae continues with steely resolve, "My point is, I know about SM and what they did to you. I know what you did, too, but it's not your fault. You did what you had to do." 

Joonmyun's eyes widen in surprise. The firm usually went to great lengths to keep such affairs as covert as possible, letting only the faintest whispers of rumor permeate the shroud of secrecy. Just enough for fear to keep each cog of the machine in place. 

The boy smiles smugly. "I'm good, aren't I." 

Joonmyun ventures hesitatingly, "So you want to bring down SM." 

Jongdae scoffs, "Of course not. I want to expose the bastards and let others do the rest. You can imagine how many enemies SM has, all the people and corporations that have been screwed over by SM and are looking for justice."

He pauses to let it sink in. The prospect of justice, however impossibly ambitious, is tempting. But Joonmyun isn't sure about one thing and asks, "What do you need me for?"

Jongdae blushes and says, "I thought your story would be perfect for this. It's the most solid lead I've got on exposing SM so far, and-" He stops, noticing that the man sitting across from him has visibly stiffened, his expression changing to one of...hurt? 

"So that's why you came back? For my story?" Joonmyun asks quietly. He should have known that the boy is only seeking his company for a shot at his first big break. And once again, Joonmyun looks at the boy and sees a reflection of himself.

But to Joonmyun’s surprise, Jongdae blushes. “That’s not the only reason…I kind of wanted to see you again, too.”

Joonmyun can’t stop a smile from spreading across his face. 

“I have to go soon, but before I go, there’s one more thing I wanted to tell you. The program that I’m working on needs a new host. I recommended your name.”

“Why me?”

Jongdae’s lips curl into another cheeky grin as he gets up to leave. “Because I love the sound of your voice.”

 

 

The radio broadcasting company apparently also likes the sound of Joonmyun’s voice, because he finds himself behind a microphone in the company's cozy recording studio. Just as Jongdae had chosen the name “Chen”, Joonmyun chooses “Suho” as his radio pseudonym. He only has to spend a few hours at the studio each week to record each episode, so for the first few episodes, Joonmyun still works essentially full-time at EXO. 

But when Jongdae’s exposé on SM airs, it causes a minor sensation that draws Joonmyun further into the world of radio journalism. Almost immediately after the program is broadcasted across the city, SM, predictably, files a lawsuit. The broadcasting company is unable to air the customary rerun the next day, but most of the damage is already done. It’s not enough to completely ruin SM’s reputation just yet, but the news spreads like wildfire and several national media outlets begin investigating the firm. 

Pleased with Joonmyun’s work with Jongdae on the exposé, the company offers Joonmyun a position as a producer, in addition to being the voice of the program. Joonmyun thinks that this is something he can become completely invested in, meeting new people everyday and discovering the incredible things happening within their city. Getting to see Jongdae daily is just the cherry on top.

But Kris is surprisingly crestfallen when Joonmyun tells him that he would have to quit his job at EXO.

“Don’t get me wrong, Joonmyun, I’m completely happy for you. Really, you deserve it.”

“What’s wrong then?”

“It’s just that...I had a plan in the works. I was thinking of branching out, opening an actual bakery next door to our cafe since we have Chanyeol now. I was hoping that you would be able to help me with managing the bakery. I guess not, then.”

Joonmyun thinks for a moment. “Why don’t you ask Zitao?”

Kris frowns slightly. “I don’t think he would want to come back to EXO.”

“Kris, the kid was in love with you.”

“...Really?” His eyes widen.

“Yeah, just trust me on this one.”

 

 

Love and trust are beautiful words. Beautiful as mending an old relationship and forging a new one. Beautiful as Kris and Tao's laughs of delight as they embrace each other upon seeing their new bakery receive critical acclaim in the weekly food column. Beautiful as Jongdae's smile, which Joonmyun has the blessing of waking up to each morning and is the last thing he sees before closing his eyes to sleep every night. 

For the first time in his life, Joonmyun doesn't know where he will end up in ten years' or even five years' time. But with Jongdae's fingers curled between his and Kris just a phone call away, he finds that he is okay with the uncertainty. Suddenly, the future isn't so scary anymore.

**Author's Note:**

> The radio program that served for inspiration for the last part of this fic is called “This American Life," it broadcasts really great stories, essays, and memoirs about human nature and stuff. Anyways, thank you so much for reading! Congrats on making it all the way through... Comments and suggestions are much appreciated ^^


End file.
